


What shows does not tell

by Cilidiaioan



Category: 19天 - Old先 | 19 Days - Old Xian
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, M/M, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:20:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28623972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cilidiaioan/pseuds/Cilidiaioan
Summary: Life is hard when you're an omega mistaken for an Alpha. Equaly hard? An alpha mistaken for an omega.
Relationships: He Tian & Mo Guanshan (19 Days)
Comments: 36
Kudos: 97
Collections: 19 Days random short stories





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A Fic from a fan to a fan!  
> Idea by 100ethos on Tumblr

Mo went outside and folded up their menu board for the day. It was quite late by now, there had been a few more late customers than usual. Not that Mo minded. More business was always welcomed, even more when it’s a father of two asking for a large portion of beef in sweet sauce and two portions of dumplings. It was easy enough to make and Mo got to chat with the man.

Turns out his job was draining him, making him work until ungodly hours (facts checked, their restaurant is supposed to close at 10pm sunday through wednesday and it was now half an hour past their closing time). He had two teenage daughters to take care of since their other parent passed away last year. 

Mo felt his face twitch, a weight in his stomach. He looked over at the tub of kimchi by his side and sneaked a portion of it in the man’s bag before handing it to him. It wasn’t much, but he hoped it could lighten their heart a little.

“I hope you’ll enjoy your meal” he offered a smile. The man smiled back and did a slight bow with an apology for keeping the restaurant open after business hours, then went home.

Mo sighed, tossing his wok and utensils in the sink to wash again. He cleaned up his station and closed the light before going up into his living quarters. 

The restaurant wasn’t new, it was his grandmother’s dream. She opened it fifty years ago with his grandfather. They used to live in the same appartement he was living in right now. As his mother used to too, but now that Mo was old enough to manage the place by himself on less busy nights, she had moved out to a nicer place with her husband.

Nothing Mo could get angry at her for. The man was very nice. He walked her to work almost every day, making sure to give Mo a slap in the back or a pat on the head before heading to his own work. It was.. ok. But damn, he wasn’t a child anymore! Yes, he hadn’t grown that much since he first met him five years ago, but working in the restaurant had its benefits. The veggies crates were not going to move by themselves. 

Still, the appartement could feel lonely sometimes. It was designed for a small family after all. He kept it squeaky clean, as everything he cherished, he took great care of.

*-*-*-*-*-*

He tian was trying to walk home from University. As usual, it was not as easy as it sounded like.. when you're surrounded by half the omegas from your afternoon classes. 

Of course, He tian was very gentlemanly. He couldn't say no to them. Or rather, he didn't want to face half a dozen omega's wrath on a Thursday evening.

After walking for a while, his harem slowly grew smaller as some of them went their separate way. He felt small hands around his arms. 

"So, He tian~" one of the girls started. Shockingly enough, the two other girls were not intervening. Were they friends? He never had an omega touch him without being ripped off of him by an other.

"Would you like some company? We could come to your place with you" she winked, a scent of strawberry shortcake growing more intense around them.

He smiled politely, "I don't think my current partner would quite like me having someone else at my apparent". He tried to get the girl off of his arm but another stopped him. 

"Come on, I’m sure we’re better than she is” the other piped up, a strong smell of peach mixing with the shortcake. 

_*As usual.. Omega trying to get to an alpha’s nose..*_

He shook off the two girls clinging to him and faced them. “Ladies, it is getting late and I do not want any harm done to you. Please go home and I will forget about your insistence even after knowing I was taken” He smiled at them, waiting for their answer. 

It came as a huff and two sighs. The beta girl of the trio smiled back and grabbed her friends. She turned them around and started walking. He waved at their back with a smug grin, hearing some strained ‘see you tomorrow’s.

Once home, he took a shower and sat on his sofa. He felt his phone buzz inside the pocket of his discarded jeans and brought it to his face. 

_*Oh, Xin-sui?*_

His new boyfriend had sent him a text. That made him quite happy as he was usually the one to contact him first. He happily unlocked his phone and clicked on the notification.

Sun, 13:46

“Sorry I have class at 15, I won’t be able to join you”

“It’s ok, I know you have a hard time in economics”

“Good luck <3”

Sun, 16:05

“Thanks”

“(^-^)”

Mon, 09:45

“Good morning!”

Today, 17:03

“Want me to bring you something to eat?”

20:36

“He tian. I don’t think this arrangement will work… You’re just not what I expected you to be.”

His phone slipped from his hand to his stomach. Hands rubbing his face, he sighed. Of course this was going to happen. This is what always happened. It had been what, a week? Two? Why couldn’t he make it work? Just how much does the people that confess to him need to be satisfied? Yes, he wasn’t exactly what you call a model Omega, but he was trying his best to be a model partner. 

Had he known, maybe he would have let one of the girls join him… not that he liked girls that much, it’s just better than the emptiness he was feeling.

He walked to his fridge and took out a beer. Perks of living alone, no one can be mad at you for drinking on a thursday.

*-*-*-*-*

Mo left the kitchen to his mother when he felt the rush go down a bit. He liked to walk around the restaurant to see how the regulars were doing, if the food was good and if there was enough. One of the older ladies gently touched his hand to get his attention. 

“Good evening Mo,” she started “Have you thought of the proposition I made to you not long ago?”

Mo gave her a pained smile “I’m sorry Nuna, I don’t really have that in mind these days, I have to operate the restaurant”.

“It’s ok my dear, but you could at least meet him. My grandson is a very polite Alpha and is doing good in medical school. I’m sure you would be the perfect wife for him.” She smiled at her husband who was face deep in his bowl of rice. 

“Your cooking is amazing as usual” he beamed, rice stuck to his cheek. “I would really like for 

you to join our family”.

Mo hid his cringe behind a smile “Thank you, maybe I’ll meet him another time” he carefully walked back to the kitchen. It’s not that he didn’t want to please the Kim grandparents.. It’s just that he did meet their grandson once, and he was exactly as they described. A tall, polite and soon to be successful alpha. The problem was that.. Mo was also an alpha. Yes, he was quite petite, he knew how to do house chores and cooked marvelously, but that didn’t take away the fact that he wasn’t an omega. 

His mother knocked him out of his daydreaming.

“What are you doing standing around?” she laughed. “If you have time to relax, you have time to grill this pork belly!” She handed him at least a kilogram of meat, but stopped in front of him.

“Mo, your scent blocker is peeling off” She looked at him worriedly. “Shouldn’t you go get a new one?”.

Mo clapped his hand on the side of his neck. So that’s why the group of alpha at the back of the restaurant seemed so interested in him. He sent them death glares but was met with animalistic grins. “I ran out this morning. This was my last one.. Shit.” He looked around the restaurant. He couldn’t leave to go buy some right now, there are way too many people for his mother to handle alone. He sighed again and looked at his mother “I’ll go get some later, for now I’ll just stay back at the grills and hope the meat covers it up.” 

Most of the guests were gone when his mother decided to call it a night.. For herself. She folded her apron and, a feet already out, shouted “I’ll leave the rest to you Little Mo! Have a nice evening!” And closed the door. 

Well, 9pm wasn’t the earliest she had gone home lately so he was glad, even though he was used to closing up the shop alone by now. The group of alphas came up to him to pay their bill, leaving a hefty tip on an already hefty tab. Mo did his best to smile at them, thanked them and dropped the smile as soon as they turned their backs. 

He went to clean their table as they were the last group to leave the place.

“Pigs” he couldn’t help but mutter when he crouched to pick up napkins and pieces of chicken off the floor. He straightened back up and felt a rush of air by his nape.

“You shouldn’t talk like that about your clients” a hand stroked his arm and the sound of someone licking their lips resonated in his ear “I’ll forgive you if you let me take a bite of the cinnamon rolls you’ve got..”

Mo could feel the smirk behind his head as a chest got pushed into his back. He covered his nape and headbanged the male straight in the forehead. “What about I give you a taste of your own blood? Leave me alone or I’ll call the police.”

The alpha glared at him, holding onto his reddening forehead. “You fucking Omega, never know when to..” he got cut off by Mo picking up the phone from the wall, finger hovering above the keypad. “Ok, I got it!” he screamed, walking out. 

_*Welp, that clearly isn’t the last I hear of it.*_

10 pm arrived, and Mo walked out to fold the sidewalk board. Looking around, he found the ashtray they kept around for their customers to be shattered, ashes and cigarette butts scattered around. 

_*Those goddamn alphas.*_

He took the board inside and came back out with a trash can and a broom. As he swiped the concrete and collected the shards of glass, he started hearing dragged footsteps. He hurried up his cleaning, thinking it was his earlier visitor.. Until he heard a loud thud. He jumped and held his broom up as defence. Turning around, he couldn’t find whoever or whatever made the noise so he decided to go look further. It took only a turn for Mo to almost fall atop the reason of the sound. A man, maybe in his early twenties, fell over in the alley beside his restaurant.

He lowered his broom and poked the man, earning a slight grunt in response. 

“Hey, whatever the fuck you think you’re doing? I don’t need a drunkard beside my place, it’s bad for business” he grumbled.

The man made grabby hands toward him. Mo’s eyes rolled and he obliged, pulling the man up to his feet. He was tall. A lot taller than Mo was. But he was light.. A lot lighter than Mo had anticipated. And it’s too late that he realised that the combination made him pull too hard. The man lost his precarious balance and fell into Mo’s arms. 

He couldn’t move from the shock, but when he felt the drunkard move around and take a large breath right beside his scent gland, you can be sure the shock wore off.

“What the hell are you doing?? Get off of me you pervert” He screamed as he pushed the man off. His body was weak, it wasn’t hard to move him around. And for some unknown reason, Mo took pity on him.

“Fucking... Ok, come inside.” He wrapped the man’s arm around his shoulder and picked up his broom and trash can before heading in. He sat the man at a table and walked to the kitchen. After putting his tools away, he rubbed at his eyes.

_*Why.. Why does this always happen to me*_

He sneaked a glance at the man who was now sleeping on the table. He was tall, black hair, fine traits, and although he felt light earlier, he was quite athletic. Mo felt a blush creep on his cheeks when he caught himself staring at the man.

*-*-*-*-*-*

He tian jumped awake when a bowl and chopsticks were slammed in front of his face. He blinked the sleepiness away and straightened himself in his chair. He looked up to see a redhead boy with two glasses of what he assumed to be water. The boy sat in front of him and placed one of the glasses in front of him before downing about half of the other.

“Eat and we’ll talk,” he said, looking everywhere but at him.

“Why are you doing this for me?” He asked as he picked up his chopsticks and started eating. Gosh the food was delicious. He wolfed down the serving, almost choking once or twice. When was the last time he had a proper meal? Probably last time he went out with… He downed his water.

Mo looked horrified as the other male inhaled his food. “I’m only doing this because your dumb ass could get robbed or freeze to death in the alley beside my restaurant and that wouldn’t be good publicity” he answered, sipping on his water.

“That’s nice of you” He tian smirked, leaning into his palm and feeling a bit sobered up. “Could I ask for some sweets? I dreamt of cinnamon buns with a hint of citrus while I was out. They were exquisite.” he chuckled.

Looking up, he saw the boy turning red halfway between shock and anger. 

“You stupid fuck” He stood up with a hand to the side of his neck. He grabbed the bowl and glasses before heading to the kitchen. 

He tian heard the sound of something clanking in a sink and felt something hit him in the forehead and chest. “We don’t offer sweets, take these candies and leave” 

He tian stared at the candy on the table.

_*Oh, so he’s..*_

He picked up the two pieces of sugary confection and walked to the register.

“How much?” he asked, looking for his wallet. He stopped and smirked at the redhead. “Oops, guess I didn’t bring my wallet.. At least I have clothes on” 

The redhead sneered at him “I wouldn’t have given you food in the state you were in if I expected you to pay for it. Now go home, I’m supposed to be closed since an hour ago”

The boy walked past him to go clean the table and unlock the door. He held it open for him to go through.

“Thank you, but I can’t leave this generosity unpaid for” he smirked as he walked out.

“Yes you can, goodbye” The redhead closed the door behind him and before He tian could try to get another word in, the boy was going up stairs in the back of the kitchen.

_*Oh well, better head home*_

*-*-*-*-*-* 

Mo walked in on his mother looking around the entrance.

“Hi mom,” he started, placing his drugstore bag on a table “the ashtray got smashed to pieces after you left yesterday” He took out his new box of scent blockers and applied one on.

“That’s too bad, it was your grandfather’s favorite” she entered the restaurant and patted her son on the arm. “Guess we’ll have to get a new one! Or start abiding by the law and stop people from smoking outside our place..” she pondered a few seconds and shrugged. 

They got ready and went out to the morning market to get their ingredients for the day.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

“He tian! Do you want to join us on our meet and greet date? We’re 4 omega and 3 alpha so far so we would need an other” the boy asking batted his lashes at him.

He tian smiled his perfect fake smile and the other boy seemed to take it as a yes.

“Super, it’s going to be at the Meishi Shan restaurant. I’ll send the details later.” he continued without a break. He waved at him and before being pushed out of the classroom by another omega he managed to scream “it’s tonight! Be pretty!”

His smile dropped. He closed his book and decided to go back home since he didn’t have class this afternoon.

Bag on the shoulder, he couldn’t help but find the way he was constantly being mistaken funny. At least now he was used to it.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

It was an unusually busy tuesday. Some people even had to wait outside to get in. At least the weather was very nice, so Mo didn’t feel too bad. He asked his mother to switch places since it was rather hot in the middle of the kitchen and his mother wasn’t as young as she used to. Of course she could still beat him on any meal they make, but with that many customers and what felt like hell on earth, he preferred her closer to the door and windows.

“A group of eight just got in, you think you can manage?”she asked him

“Can you?” he grinned, earning an eye roll from his mother.

“Really, how old do you think I am” she chuckled and went out to give the menu.

They were loud, Mo could hear them all the way to the kitchen. Their poor group table was going to be messed up once again, he could tell.

Time went by and the evening calmed down a lot. The group of eight and his step father were the only ones left in, so Mo’s mother decided to head out.

“You’ll be fine, it’s only eight people and you’re closing in half an hour” she had said.

Of course he was going to be fine, but he didn’t feel like dealing with loud youth for the third time this week. He wiped the sweat out of his face with a clean cloth which he promptly threw in the ‘dirty’ bin and washed his hands. He poured himself a small glass of beer as a clap on the back from the hellish evening he just went through and went to the front to attend to his customers.

With a smile, he approached the table “Hey, everything is going well? Do you need anything?” he looked around, rosy cheeked girls and boys smiled back. “We’re good, but maybe He tian would like something else.. Oh speak of the devil” 

A tall, athletic, black haired boy walked out of the bathroom.

“Little Mo! I’m happy to see you!” he grinned. 

“Don’t call me that! Who told you my name?” Mo asked, shocked to see the drunkard from two days ago in his restaurant again

“Your mother, a very nice lady if I may,” he continued.

“He tian, you’re supposed to take interest in the omegas in the group date, not in the cook” a girl that seemed a little more wasted than the others spoke up.

“Yeah! Sit back down and finish your drink” a boy omega added laughing.

Really, all the omegas in the group seemed to have their eyes on him. All except maybe one who was also very affected, but babbled nonsense to a blond alpha in front of him. Speaking of.. Mo glanced at the alphas in the group. They didn’t seem angry that he tian hoggled all the attention, mostly defeated.

“Last round, we’re closing in thirty.” He got paper and a pen out to take their last drink order and headed back. 

Thirty minutes later, the least wasteds helped the messes out of the building. He tian stayed behind of course.

“How much was the meal two days ago? I didn’t see it on today’s bill”

“I told you. I wouldn’t have fed you if I expected you to pay me back.”

“That’s not a very lucrative way to rule a business.”

“Hey, last time you were alone, now you’re eight, that’s good enough”

“Little Mo..”

“And do NOT call me Little Mo! That’s only for family”

He tian smirked wildly “Little Mo then it is”

Mo’s face twitched “Fuck off chicken dick!”

He tian laughed as he walked backward through the door. “I’ll see you soon!”

Mo locked the door behind them, heat on his cheek that he decided to ignore. He went to the table, surprised to find it almost clean, plates neatly stacked and most of the night’s spills cleaned up.

“Fucker” he whispered, a slight grin on his face. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be honest, I write everything in a single drive document.. So the chapters might cut at weird places. But I do try to make it make sense.
> 
> Enjoy!

“So, any luck with the redhead so far?” 

He tian looked up to see Jian Yi seated across from him, his chair turned around so he could rest his arms on the back of it.

“And why does it matter to you?” He asked, closing his book.

“I mean, you didn’t seem to have any interest in the omegas at the get together. But when he appeared your face lit up.. I think.” he frowned trying to remember.

“How could you know? You spent most of the evening squished against Zhan Zheng Xi” He tian picked up his backpack and put his things in.

“Hey! The get togethers are for that aren’t they?” Jian Yi tried to object as He tian got up.

“You realise that you could just ask him out? Go on a date just the two of you..”

Jian Yi’s face reddened. “But isn’t it the alpha’s place to ask to court the omega?” 

He tian slammed his chair into the table, a few students jumped at the noise. 

“Honestly, you’re already so lovey dovey together, I think you’re fine to ask him out without the excuse of a get together. And stop trying to convince other omegas to join by using me as a lure” He walked out, leaving a baffled Jian Yi behind him.

*-*-*-*-*-*

Mo swinged the two crates of vegetables on the kitchen counter before taking off the several bags he had dangling at his arms. His mother trotted behind, a single box in hands. They had bought a lot, as usual when the weekend was on its way. Mo didn’t want to brag, but their restaurant was doing very well these days. 

He got started on chopping vegetables while his mother marinated the meats in their special secret marinades, which of course he could not know the ingredients to until he could deal with the place by himself. That ticked him off in his first year after he graduated high school, but he got over it pretty quickly seeing that he was not ready to face the waves of customers yet. But he was starting to manage, and that meant he was getting closer to knowing it every month.

He boiled eggs, made sure the salt, pepper and cayenne shakers were full. He verified his utensils and woks, cleaning a second time the ones he felt were rushed the night before. He checked the gas tank and draft beer barrel. 

_ *Yep, everything is going perfect* _

That is, until rain hit the region. Hard.

“AARRGH, everything was going too good!” Mo grabbed at his head, looking at the downpour through the window. Rainy nights didn’t bring many people. They preferred to stay warm and dry at home. Mo couldn’t be mad at them for that, he wanted his clients to be healthy even if that meant a slow night.

He went back to the kitchen and was met by his mother’s husband.

“It’s gonna be slow tonight eh?” He stated the obvious. “Mind if I bring your mother back home? You can handle a rainy friday” the man grinned and gave a friendly slap on Mo’s shoulder. 

“Yeah, at least let me fix you something for dinner” he proposed. That would at least be two meals gone and less likely to be lost.

Through the evening he got a few clients ordering food to go. And honestly, these few regulars made his day. He was happy to see them and thankful that they braved the rain to come to his restaurant, so he made sure to throw in a few extra of their favorite foods in.

Around 9 pm, when not a soul had been seen for the past hour, the door opened wildly, letting in a gust of wind and rain and a tall, black haired and drenched boy.

“Hey little Mo!” he tian smiled.

Mo’s eyes went wide. “Stay right there” he scurried to the back of the kitchen and up in his apartment’s bathroom. He grabbed a clean towel and hurried back down. “Here” he threw the piece of fabric over He tian’s head and started rubbing his hair to help dry him off.

*-*-*-*-*-*

He tian froze in place when he felt the towel and fast hands around his head, but quickly came back to himself when Mo started rubbing the back of his neck. He grabbed the redhead’s wrist, stopping him in his erratic movements.

“Calm down, I won’t freeze to death” he chuckled and brought Mo’s wrist to his mouth/nose area. 

It didn’t take long for Mo to take his hand back, cheek turning red instantly.

“I just don’t want you to put water everywhere” He motioned for He tian to take place at the bar as he went back to the kitchen.

He came back with a serving of warm soup and some tea. “Eat, it will warm you up. I don’t think I have a shirt large enough for you to change into so you’ll have to make do with yours.” he sat in front of him on the other side of the bar, half a bowl of rice and some dumplings in front of him.

“Did I disturb you during your meal?”

Mo answered by taking a whole dumpling in his mouth and chewing slowly. “It’s been dead for the past hour,” he swallowed, “so I thought I could sneak in a meal. What did you want beside the soup?”

He tian looked at the other boy’s meal and grinned. “I’ll have the same as you.”

Barely ten minutes later, He tian was presented with a plate of dumplings, a bowl of rice and two side dishes of pickled vegetables.

“Tell me what you think about these. I’m trying new things..”

He tian smiled “why not ask your mother, isn’t she the one in charge”

Mo looked away, biting his lip, “I might be testing new recipes behind her back..”

He tian stared at him and chuckled.

“You fuck, I’ll just take them back if you don’t want to help me!” he got up and tried to snatch the small bowls back, but he tian was faster and slid them out of his reach.

“No, I’ll try them! Just if I die.. “ he got cut short by hands flying closer, he laughed out loud lifting the pickles off the table and away from the redhead’s hands. “Ok! I’ll stop! Just let me put them back down”

Mo’s face was still annoyed, but he sat back on his stool, halfheartedly taking a sip of water.

He tian carefully placed the bowls back down and picked up a carrot from one of them. It was sweet and spicy at the same time with hints of pepper. The brine felt rich in his mouth and it was overall a great side dish. He took a bite of rice to clean out the flavor of the first dish and picked a cauliflower from the second bowl.

As he bit into it, he started choking.

“What the hell is that!?” He downed his tea and ate about half his rice.

“Ah, so you didn’t like sea salt and lemon brine?”

“No! How could anyone like that?? How is that even supposed to be sea salt and lemon?”

“Come on, you’re being dramatic” Mo leaned forward and grabbed a piece, popping it in his mouth his face changed into a grimace at a comical speed.

“What the hell??” he spat the veggie into the sink beside him and gurgled some water.

“So you didn’t taste test it before giving me some?” 

“Of course I did! But it tasted just fine this morning!”

He tian couldn’t help but start laughing at the redhead’s confusion, which earned him a glare.

He started eating his meal again, the other boy busying himself with getting rid of his monstrous creation.

Visibly discouraged, Mo sat back. “Guess that’s that for that recipe” he said. Then he looked up at He tian’s drink in confusion. “Didn’t I give you green tea?”

The dark haired boy looked at the drink, then placed his hand on the side of his neck. A slight panic surged on his face but he regained his composure really fast.

“Ah, that might be me.. I guess my blockers didn’t like my 30 minutes walk in the rain”

“30!?”

“It’s fine, you warmed me up! I’m good.” he smiled reassuringly.

“I have some if you’d like” he offered, standing up before hearing the other male’s answer. He went up the stairs and came back as fast as he went. He placed the box before him and started washing bowls.

He tian looked at the cheap patches, opened the box and placed one of the skin colored squares on his neck. “Thank you”.

Mo nodded without looking at him as he washed the dishes.

After a comfortable ten to fifteen minutes of silence, Mo sat back again.

“I think I’ll close up shop for the day.. “ 

“Am I being kicked out?”

“Yes”

“In the cold and rainy night?”

Mo looked at the door just as the rain picked up as if to prove He tian’s point.

“Call a taxi”

“Little Mo!”

“Digging your grave here”

“Please”

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

The plea sounded too real for Mo’s heart. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

“Ok, but you better stay in the other room” he started, looking around the kitchen if there was anything left to do. Since there was not, he walked to the door and locked it, then turned the lights out as they usually did when they closed early.

Taking off his apron, he felt eyes following him around. 

_ *That was to be expected..* _

He hung the piece of fabric on its hook and signaled to He tian to follow him.

“I haven’t paid yet.” he said as he got up.

“On me, after the horror I made you go through with the lemon pickle”

“Still not a very lucrative way to run a business”

“Oh shut up or go take a walk in the rain chicken butt”

They went up the stairs and Mo got a little nervous. Is the apartment clean enough? Were there bedsheets in the other room?

He felt chilly hands on his sides “Would you show me to the bathroom? I know I said I was warmed up but..”

“No need for explanations” Mo hurried away from the cold touch. He held his hand against his nape, rubbing away the feeling of He tian’s breath. He walked to the bathroom and took out a fresh towel, a new soap and toothbrush. 

“Do you always have new bathing kits like that around for your guests?”

“...No...”

He tian snickered which caused Mo to push him into the bathroom and close the door.

As soon as the bathroom door was closed, Mo went to the guest room. He was happy to find that his mother’s husband had left clean pyjamas pants and a black t-shirt.

_ *That is strangely convenient* _

The bed was also clean, which meant that his mother had come to his place without him knowing. He smiled to himself, his mother really couldn’t help herself even now that he was 

grown up. He picked up the clothes and closed the door. He knocked at the bathroom’s door and was met with silence, so he decided to sneak in the pyjamas as fast as he could.

He sat on his couch, head back, eyes closed, tv turned on but muted. Sometimes he felt like evenings without people were more draining than evenings with undying waves of customers. He heard the water turn off and some time later, the bathroom door opened. 

He felt a weight beside him, then wet hair on his neck and water seeping through his t-shirt.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he asked, standing up

He tian fell on the couch where Mo had been sitting and smiled up at him “I don’t know, you just seemed so peaceful. I wanted in too” he laughed as Mo’s cheeks grew pink. 

_ *Fuck* _

Mo stormed to the bathroom and locked himself in. Which turned out to be a bad idea. It barely took a second for the scent of smoked black tea to fill his lungs, making him pleasantly dizzy. He shook his head and opened the window to let the fog out and maybe cool down his brain too.

_ *What is that? Why is he affecting me like that?* _

He stepped in the shower and ran the water cold.

It took longer than he expected to calm down, but he managed to eventually. He got dressed and went back to the living room, only to find He tian asleep on the couch hugging the only couch pillow he had. 

“Hey, there’s a room idiot” he lightly shook the other boy and earned a grunt in response.

“I know. You took your sweet time so I took the liberty to look around.”

_ *The audacity* _

“Can I sleep with you instead? The other feels.. Lifeless.”

Ignoring the request, Mo sighed “Of course it is, do you think I let a lot of people borrow it?”

He tian opened his eyes and looked at Mo with a smirk.

Mo turned around, he could feel whatever the other was going to say wouldn’t agree with him. “Keep going and you’ll sleep in the bath”

He tian made a zipper motion over his mouth and got comfortable on the couch. Mo gave up and let him do as he pleased. He took the blanket off the guest bed and threw it at the black haired boy before going to his own room.

“Just letting you know that since you chose the couch, I’m getting up at 6 tomorrow.” with that, he closed his door. 

*-*-*-*-*-*

He tian didn’t toss or turn. His face was firmly planted in the old couch pillow, but he didn’t have trouble breathing. Hints of cinnamon buns and citrus coming to him every once in a while. It smelled sweet, it smelled comforting. Was that supposed to happen? Was he supposed to be attracted by the scent of an other omega?

Clutching the blanket closer, he fell asleep. Sure enough, at 06:03 am, after one of the best nights of sleep he had in weeks, he got woken up by the sound of doors opening and closing.

He sat up, still clutching the pillow. He shivered and brought the lukewarm blanket to his shoulders. 

*Why is it so cold in here*

Mo came out of the bathroom, stretching and scratching his head. “Tea or coffee?”

“Coffee”

The soft noise of the machine and delicate smell started to coat the little space with a cozy atmosphere. Mo brought the cups to the living room tables along with a pot of honey from which he took a spoonful. He tian held the cup in his hands, letting its warmth heat his fingers.

“Why is it so cold in here? Last night I thought the blanket was too much but now..”

“It’s an old building, the isolation isn’t the best. That’s why it gets extremely hot when the kitchen works all evening, but it gets very cold after downpours like we had yesterday.. My mom used to say it was the best part about this place. ‘That way we can cuddle up under a blanket with a warm drink in the morning’” Mo tried to imitate.

When Mo turned around to look at him, He tian had opened his arms as an invitation.

“Wanna get in?” He smiled

“No way, I got used to it” Mo got up and finished his coffee on the spot. 

He tian watched the other boy do his morning routine and tried to keep up with it. By 06:30 they were dressed and ready to go. 

*But what’s the hurry on a saturday morning?*

Mo turned to He tian “You’re coming to the fish market?”

He tian cringed, he never went there willingly, but something in him wanted to see what the redhead’s days were like, where he went, what he did.. So yeah, he was going to go.

“I could help you carry things around” 

“Uh, sure..”

*-*-*-*-*-*

It was weird.

It was so weird to have someone other than his mom with him out shopping for ingredients. 

But it was also nice.

Mo shook his head. Today was going to be a beautiful day, which meant lots of people. He walked past several booths. Shrimp season was starting and that meant they had to start making their special shrimp dish. They didn’t have many seasonal dishes, but that one his mother was proud of so he couldn’t help but keep the tradition.

It didn’t take long to fill up their bags, and that was good because he could see He tian’s face changing color as they went deeper into the market. Mo couldn’t help it and muffled a chuckle.

Once back at the restaurant, they found Mo’s mother already prepping things in the kitchen.

“You had a few customers in the end didn’t you Little Mo!” she shouted, not looking up.

Mo was about to answer but He tian was faster than him.

“Hello miss Guan Shan!” he started.

Her knife stopped with a thunk on her board and she looked up, eyes wide. “Hello..?”

“Mom, this is He tian.. You might remember him, he came with the group of eighth two days ago.”

“Yes, the get together…” her confusion was palpable. 

“Yeah, don’t ask questions.”

He tian smiled at her “Could I help you with anything today? Mo offered me a meal and a roof for the night. I can’t leave his generosity unpaid for”

“Yes you can” Mo shouted from the walk-in fridge. 

His mom smiled and handed the knife to He tian “You can cut the oignons”

*...*

He couldn’t cut oignons.

He couldn’t cut much else either. When Mo arrived beside him, his cutting board looked like a warzone.

“Have you ever cut something before?”

He tian kept looking at the uneven pieces of veggies in front of him “No, but it looked so easy on the tv, I thought I could do it no problem..”

Mo strangled his laugh.

He tian looked at him menacingly “you could show me, or I can mess up this whole bok choy trying to understand”

Mo went to get his stool and had He tian sit on it. He went behind him and showed him exactly how his own mother showed him to cut vegetables years ago. He took the other boy’s hand and placed it on the bok choy so that his knuckles would guide his knife, and he placed his other hand around the knife in the way that would offer the most strength but also put the least strain on his wrist.

Neither of them would address their position. Nor the fact that they were close enough to smell the other through the cheap scent patches. (Even Mo’s mother only grinned to herself and went on with her preparations).

*-*-*-*-*-*

In the end, He tian didn’t think he helped much with anything. But at least he learned a few things.

First of all, Mo was a very patient teacher. He really knew how to cook. He was also very good at cleaning and keeping his workspace organised… which he couldn’t do for shit. 

What kind of omega was he? But at the same time.. Wasn’t Mo being so kind because he thought he was teaching an alpha? These thoughts were messing with his head really bad. 

Let's be real, being back ‘home’ messed with him. His brand new apartment felt empty and cold in such a way he wished he was still on Little Mo’s couch wrapped in a blanket with a coffee in hands. 

He wouldn’t have left the Guan Shan’s if it had not been for the first draft of the thesis he had to send to his teacher Monday morning. He dropped on his bed and pulled out his laptop from under his pillow. At least it was the last thing he had to hand in before the break started.

*-*-*-*-*-*

“I want you to take a break”.

“What?”

“You heard me. I’m taking over the restaurant for the next…” Mo’s mother pondered a few seconds “week. So you’re starting again on monday next week.”

“WHAT?”

“You heard me! I have been taking it slow for a while now and it put a lot of pressure on you, now I want you to have a bit of a break.”

“How will you manage? We have a lot more customers than we used to!”

“Lee will help me”

“Can he even cook?”

“Hey, you showed that alpha, He tian, yesterday. I’m pretty sure my beta husband can manage.”

Mo looked at her, defeated “Can I help at least today?”

His mother glanced at him and rolled her eyes “Just for today, and you’re serving the tables”.

_ *Better than nothing* _


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, sorry for the delay, I broke up with my boyfriend of 2 and half years soooo... yeah
> 
> Enjoy!!

_ *Aaand sent* _

He tian closed his laptop and fell back on his bed. It took him all of sunday to finish writing, and until the last 10 minutes on monday morning to spell check his whole draft. Now he wanted one thing and one thing only. He got up, stretched, took a shower, put on his scent patches, clothes and went out.. and got caught by the omegas from his literature class as he walked out of his building.

"He tian!" They shouted, waving at him.

He waved back, and of course, got caught on both sides.

They walked him to the nearby park, somehow managing to have him show them around the neighborhood. Suddenly he heard a buzz, followed by one less hand on his arm.

“Wanna go to karaoke?” The girl he remembered to go by Ju proposed, dangling her phone at him and… Mei? Maybe? 

The other girl piped up, squeezing his arm harder. “Oh yes we should totally go! That would be the best way to start off our vacations! Are you coming, He tian?” She was looking at him with stars in her eyes, and honestly, he felt a bit bad for forgetting her name so..

“Why not.”

The girls squealed in excitement and he already regretted his decision. He spent the rest of his afternoon as a tour guide until they finally stepped inside the karaoke bar.

It was one of the most recents one around, with private rooms just like the ones he saw online that were popular in Japan. He was surprised at how silent the entrance was. The receptionist informed the girls of which room their friends were in and dragged him along. The receptionist must have caught on to his regrets to agreeing, because they gave him a thumb up and a “good luck, you’ll need it” kind of grin.

Ju opened the door to a room full of people. Probably about half their literature class. He looked around the room and found Zang zhen xi sipping on a drink and looking boredly at the person currently singing. 

Everyone else.. Well, he couldn’t remember much of them.

“You’re late! We already called the drinks! Yours are on the table” an Alpha pointed to the colored beverages waiting for them. 

It took him a moment, but he eventually realised He tian was behind them. “Oh, sorry man.. I didn’t know you were coming.. The menu is over there..” He pointed at random at the restaurant style booth, “go nuts”.

“Thanks” He tian hissed. Obviously, that guy didn’t want him there. He sat down, feeling stares piercing him.

_ *Guess he wasn’t the only one not wanting me around* _

He found the drink menu and ordered the strongest thing they offered. If it was going to be like that, he was going to have some fun out of it.

A few hours and drinks later, he was the heart of the party, as every times he barged uninvited into these reunions. He sang the last lyrics of his love song, every girl and omega under his spell. He smiled at the boys and alphas at the back of the room, which earned him death glares.

With the end of his song came applauses and some “encore” shouts. He laughed “Nah, I’m going back to my drink”.

He didn’t have time to finish speaking that the microphone disappeared from his hand, taken away from him. The alpha from earlier glaring at him.

“Come on, let poor He tian have some rest” The boy joked. “He barely had time to take a sip.”

That wasn’t true, but if he could get away from his fanclub with that lie he would take it and run. He sat down beside Zang Zhen Xi, which he decided to start calling Xixi after his first drink.

He was starting to get rather intoxicated. The heat, the mixed scents and the meager meal he managed to eat did not help his case. His mouth started talking before he could stop it.

“Where is Jian Yi?”

“I don’t know.”

“Are you guys not usually attached to the hip?”

A girl leaned back on the table.

Xixi looked around “I don’t know if you realised, but a lot of people from the class are not here. Jian Yi isn’t the only one”

“Yeah but”

“We didn’t invite him” the girl turned around to look at them.

“What? Why?” Xixi looked confused.

“Don’t you think he’s annoying?

Zang Zhen Xi slammed both hands on the table.

He tian choked on his drink.

“What the fuck are you talking about?!”

The girl jumped back, “well, I mean, he’s always sticking to you and he’s so weird sometimes.”

Xixi glared at her, grabbed his hoodie and walked out.

He tian gulped, his throat sore. He leaned back into his seat, head fuzzy “You know.. Xiaofan? You shouldn’t talk like that about an alpha’s omega to his face.”

He didn’t catch the girl’s reaction as she stumbled away.

_ *Welp, time to go too I guess.* _

He got up and steadied himself with the table. That last drink might have been a bad idea.

“He tian, are you ok?”

The voice sounded far, the face before him blurred with the background.

“Leave him be, he’s a big boy, he can manage.”

That one made him angry. He turned around but couldn’t pinpoint where it was coming from.

“Do you want me to take you home?”

He felt hands on his arm and gently pushed them away.

“I’m fine, enjoy your night and sing plenty for the both of us ok?” He gave the girl a smile and walked to the door.

He left the party quietly. The people that organised it might have been assholes, but he didn’t want to kill the mood by making a scene of leaving. Plus, that might have caused a few more people to try and ‘escort’ him home.

The night was chilly, not to say cold. He stroked his arms vigorously, wishing he had a jacket. He started walking in a direction, lost in the fuzz of his mind when, around a corner, a body slammed into him.

“What the fuck, you fucking.. He tian?”

His eyes focused on the face above him and he couldn’t stop his smile.

“Little Mo!”

*-*-*-*-*-*

Mo was shocked. He didn’t think he would run into He tian.. Literally.

The dark haired boy made grabby hands toward him. 

_ *Deja vu* _

He helped him up and caught him in his arms. “He tian, stand up” he juggled with the taller boy’s limbs, trying to give him back some tonus.

“How convenient, I was just going home” he tian said sluggishly.

“How the hell did you manage to have me take care of your drunk ass twice in the same week!” he pulled the other’s arm around his neck.

_ *And why do you smell of so many..* _

He shook away the intrusive thoughts. “Where do you live?”

“Mmm Xx avenue.. Apartment 52.”

Mo sighed and turned them around.

“Why’re we spinning?”

“You were going in the wrong direction”

“Oh”

After what seemed like an eternity, they arrived in front of the complex.

“Are you kidding me? You live in the newest building of the most expensive neighborhood?”

Mo felt He tian tense up by his side.

“My father needs someone to take care of the place” 

His words were less slurred and he was walking better by now so Mo tried to get him off of him, but He tian held on tighter.

“Why don’t you come inside? I can make some coffee”

Usually he would have said no, but something inside him made it impossible to refuse. It didn’t take long and he was sitting on a white couch in a big, new, luxurious... mostly empty condo.

“I only have instant” He tian placed two cups on the living room table. Mo looked at the liquid and considered it improper for consumption. 

“I think I should go home, it’s getting late” He made a move to get up, but froze in place as he felt hair against his cheek followed by a weight on his shoulder.

“Why were you out at” He tian looked at his phone, “one in the morning?”

Mo was stiff “I needed a run.. I couldn’t quite get all my energy out today”

“Oh, and why is that?”

“My mom kicked me out of the restaurant for the week”

Mo felt spasms go through the other boy’s body as if he was fighting not to laugh. “Did she find out about the lemon pickled tragedy?”

“She didn’t! She decided I needed a break!” he silently shouted, shaking He tian off of his shoulder.

The taller boy laughed and caught himself on the armrest beside Mo, avoiding falling head first into Mo’s lap. He regained his composure fast, eyes fixed on Mo’s lips. 

And that’s when the redhead realised he was trapped, pinned between the couch and the taller man. He caught his eyes just before he started to slowly lean into his neck, nuzzling at his scent glands.

“I would like to court you”

Mo’s stomach dropped. 

“Ok”

He answered? With an affirmative?

The other took a deep breath, he could feel his lips forming a smile on his skin.

“By the way, your patches are shit. You’re taking one of my boxes home.”

Mo halfheartedly punched him in the stomach, his hand ending up resting on He tian’s thigh.

*-*-*-*-*-* 

What had he done?

He stared at Mo’s sleeping face on his couch. How the hell did he manage to drag his bed so far from the wall?

Not important. He asked if he could court another omega.. Was he stupid?? Worst, or best? Part in all of that.. He accepted!

What was he supposed to do now? How do alpha court?

Mo started moving around so he closed his eyes and faked sleep. He thought the redhead would go back to his slumber, but he didn’t. He heard the blanket he lended him being folded, liquid being poured into the sink, a filet of water trickling down. Was he washing the cups?

Few moments later the door opened and closed back and that’s when he decided to get up. He looked at the door, mixed feelings weighting his chest.

*-*-*-*-*

What did he just get himself into?

Mo walked down flights of stairs, fiddling with the small box in his pocket.

Why did he accept? Why, the hell, did he, accept?? From now on he would get courted by another alpha. Was he stupid??

How does he have to act about He tian from now on? How does omega act with alpha courting them?

It took over an hour for him to get back to his place. His mother smiled at him as he walked through the door.

“So, how was your first night out in.. long?”

“I’d rather not talk about it”

He worked around his mother’s preparation, trying to fix himself some breakfast and sneakily help her around. He didn’t have time to do much before his mom caught him and chased him back to his quarters.

“You workaholic! I told you to rest!”

Easy to say, not easy to do. Maybe a shower would help him.

*-*-*-*-*-*

He tian showed up a few days later with a small bouquet of flowers. He had done some research and found that eight out of ten, he couldn’t go wrong with flowers. He walked in the Meishi Shan restaurant and found out that, as the redhead mentioned, only his mother was working. 

He walked up to the bar seat and waited patiently for her to address him. 

“Hello! He tian? What can I get for you today?”

He smiled at her, “Your son”

She seemed taken aback by how the blunt he had been, but quickly smiled back. “I’ll go get him.”

A few seconds later he heard fast steps coming down the stairs and then to a halt. 

“He tian? Wha-” he didn’t let the redhead finish his sentence and offered him the small bouquet.

“For you, care to join me for dinner?”

“At my own restaurant?”

“I didn’t say where, but if you insist” He tian looked at Mo’s mother who gave him back a puzzled look. “Did you not tell your mother?”

“We’re going somewhere else” Mo mumbled as he grabbed He tian’s wrist. He asked his confused mother to put the flowers in water and dragged the taller boy out.

Only when they were seated at their table at an italian restaurant did Mo seem to relax.

“I have not told my mom.”

“Yeah I could guess”

“Shut up.” he looked away, arms crossed.

He tian smiled. “You really love your mother don’t you?”

Mo snapped his attention back to him “Of course I do. She’s my mom...”

“But?” He tian asked as if he knew there was something more.

“But… Sometimes I do feel like she still sees the young me. Small and puny, unable to reach the top of the stove without his stepping box. Even less to carry around 50 pounds of full crates.” he squeezed his biceps absentmindedly, looking at the table. “I just want her to be able to trust me completely with the restaurant. She’s still young, yes. But for how long can she keep it up?”

He tian clenched his teeth and forced a smile. He appreciated how Mo was showing a more vulnerable side of himself, but he wasn’t ready to do as much.

The waiter arrived, they settled on pizza and He tian did his best to lighten up the conversation.

They ate, it was delicious. He tian offered to take the desert to go but was met with a deadpan stare. 

They ended up just walking back to Mo’s place, just in time to see his mother closing up shop.

“Can I come in?”

“No”

“Eh, I tried.. Can I scent you?”

The answer took more time to come, but eventually came as a deep blush from Mo and him tilting his head to give He tian access to his scent glands. He tian was surprised by how easily he accepted. He leaned down slowly, rubbing his own neck against the redhead’s.

The door to the restaurant opened and both of them jumped back.

“What are you doing? It’s getting cold outside!” Mo’s mother whispered

He tian smiled mischievously “I hope you don’t mind, I recently asked your son to court him and well..”

“I said yes”

“Oh..” she looked confused

Mo turned to his mother and walked her in “I’ll explain”

“It’s ok Mo” she said as he walked past the door with her.

Once she was inside, Mo peeked through the door and looked at He tian.

“Erm, thank you for the evening. And the flowers. I’ll see you soon?”

“If you let me I’d be more than happy to”

Honestly, making Mo blush was starting to be one of his favorite activities.

They said goodbye and He tian walked off. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Shorter chapter, but I still hope you'll like it :)
> 
> Enjoy!

Mo locked the door and leaned into it. He didn’t know what or how to tell his mom.

“Mo.. it’s ok, I just told you that didn’t I?”

He felt her delicate hand on his shoulder and turned to look at her.

“He thinks I’m an omega”

Her expression was confusing. A mix of confusion, sorry feelings and maybe happiness? He didn’t know.

“You really like him don’t you?”

Mo turned back to the door and pressed his forehead on the cool glass. For his mother, it was probably enough of an answer. She squeezed his shoulder tight and leaned her head on his arm.

“You kind of smell like sweet Chai tea right now”

He smirked, turning back “Are you sleeping over tonight or is Lee coming to pick you up?”

“I guess Lee can spend a night alone”

Mo laced his arms around his mom, hugging her for the first time in a while.

“Will you tell him the truth?”

He left the question unanswered and led the way to the apartment. “There’s a new movie I wanted to watch, want to watch it with me?

His mother nodded, unphased by his lack of response.

He tian spent the week annoying him.

Mo learned that it was their break and He tian apparently had nothing better to do than spend his days with him. 

To be honest, since his mother kicked him out of the kitchen, Mo also didn’t have much else to do.

They went to watch a movie, went on walks, on runs. They even stumbled upon a social dance class that was offered for free in a park. It was mostly old people, but as they walked by, He tian had grabbed his hand and dragged him into the group.

They weren’t good, they stepped on each other’s feet, but somehow, now they knew how to do a basic waltz together. 

(Mo might have spent the entire time grumbling about how stupid they looked, but deep down he was very happy)

It was now sunday. Finally! His week off was going to end. He walked around his small apartment like a tiger in a cage. He couldn’t wait to get back to his knives and his grill. But mostly, he couldn’t wait to see his regulars. A week felt long.

But, he must admit that it could’ve been worse. He tian kept him busy and maybe he needed that breath of fresh air.

His phone buzzed for the hundredth time since he made the mistake to give He tian his number a few days ago. He picked it up and unlocked it.

“Movie at my place?” the screen displayed under the name ‘Chicken dick’.

It was the first time he proposed to go at his, or anyone’s place since the dessert at the italian restaurant. 

“Sure” he sent back.

He couldn’t stay in again. Yesterday he could hear the noise from the restaurant all the way to his apartment and the urge to go and help out was almost painful. He put on a light jacket and headed out.

He didn’t quite know how to get to He tian’s place yet as the other male was always picking him up and walking him back home when they were together. He had to check his phone a few times on the way but when he got close, he recognised the building right away. It had the same aweing effect on him as the first time. He walked up to the door and typed in He tian’s apartment number. 

“Little Mo! Co-” He tian’s voice got cut off by the buzz of the door informing him that it was unlocked. 

He walked up the stairs, hoping the exercise would calm his heart down a little. For some reason, the bastard had started going crazy when he saw the door to the building and didn’t want to calm down. 

He knocked on the door to the apartment and didn’t have to wait for it to open.

“Hello” He tian smirked, “You do know there is an elevator? We’re on the fifth floor”

“Where you waiting for me behind the door”

“...” He tian stared at him, smirk twitching a little.

Mo tightened his lips to kill a laugh and started kicking his shoes off. He aligned them with the other pair and hung his coat.

“I was looking through the selection, we could watch that new movie about a fallen angel”

“Oh yeah, it’s good, I watched it with my mother a few days ago”

“I take that as a no, but at least I was in the good direction about your tastes.” He walked to the kitchen and took out a box of juice from the fridge and poured two glasses. “How about american superheroes?” 

“Iron man?”

“Batman”

“What?”

“What?”

They looked at each other as if they were rivals.

“Batman is better” He tian started

“Fuck off, Iron man is so much cooler”

They quarreled about the matter for a while before agreeing to watch a movie of both. Neither of them changed opinion.

“Want to take a bath with me?” He tian asked after the second movie finished.

Mo turned to him in shock. “Hell no! And I should be getting-” 

And that’s when he realised he heard heavy rain. He looked at the window and back to see He tian’s smug smile. He hadn’t looked at the weather, he took his jacket thinking it would get colder later, but…

“I’m taking it alone.” He stood up and straightened his clothes.

“Too bad,” He tian still had a sly grin.

“I’m locking the door.” 

As he did, Mo heard He tian snicker in the living room.

_ *Weirdo* _

The bathroom was exactly as the rest of the condo. Too big, too new and too empty. Looking around, he found a double sink with a pile of neatly folded clothes and towel in between. He walked over to it and found his name written on top of it.

_ *What the hell* _

He picked up the first fabric. It was soft, too soft, cream colored.. It unfolded and revealed itself to be a pajama shirt. The pants were there too, along with a toothbrush and new soap.

_ *Oh* _

He brought the shirt to his face to feel the softness of the fabric.

“Wait, what?” he mumbled, taking a deep breath in.

His eyes clouded for a second. Had He tian scented it? He squeezed the piece of clothing thighter to his nose and the scent got stronger.

He dropped it. Took off his clothes and showered under ice cold water.

He came back out with his own t-shirt on, but with the soft pajama pants. He tian smiled at him.

“What’s wrong with the shirt?”

Mo looked at the bundled up fabric and felt his cheek starting to flare.

“It smelled too much like you”

He tian laughed and walked over to him. “Do they fit well?”

“Yeah”

“Good, my turn then.”

He tian barely took ten minutes before coming back out with grey sweatpants and a black t-shirt, hair still dripping. 

“Did you want to watch something else?” 

“No, I think we should go to sleep. I start working again tomorrow”

“Oh, right..” He tian’s expression darkened for half a second, but his smile came back just as fast. “Then you’re sleeping on the bed with me this time”

The taller boy threw his towel aside and tackled Mo to the couch, lifting him up potato-sack style before he could say or do anything.

“Fucking chicken dick! Let me down!” the redhead tried to wiggle free but the other was not letting him go. 

He tian dropped him on the fluffy bed and climbed in himself. Mo tried to get up but was soon framed by He tian’s arms. 

“He tian!”

His protests were ignored as the boy nuzzled to the side of his neck. 

“Did you realise you forgot your patches leaving your house?”

Ah, right.. He thought he would stay home all day, but practically ran over when he got He tian’s text.

“He tian, I-” he couldn’t finish his sentence. His nose got filled with a strong black tea and smoke scent. 

“I know you’re not one to forget easily something you wear every day”. He tian’s hand stroked down Mo’s ribcage and went up his shirt, resting at his waist.

Mo’s head started to fog up. “He tian, I’m not-”

The other male cut him off again. With his mouth. On his mouth.

He felt He tian’s hand go higher, bringing the shirt up at the same time and exposing his stomach. He shivered and pushed the dark haired boy away.

“I’m not an omega! He tian!”

That stopped the taller boy in his track, which caused Mo’s stomach to drop and twist at the same time. He raised himself on his elbows and looked at the other boy’s shocked face. He realised he was shaking. He didn’t know what He tian was thinking and that made him anxious.

“Beta?”

Mo gulped and rectified in a low and clear voice “No, alpha.”

He tian sat on his knees and Mo’s heart sank. But the next emotion on He tian’s face was everything it shouldn’t have been.

The taller male’s eyes were wide, as if he finally understood something vital.

“That, that explains a lot” he started to smile.

Mo still didn’t understand. “What the hell are you talking about?” he started crawling backward, getting ready to defend himself as he didn’t know what the other boy would do next. He was surprised when nothing came at him but words.

“I’m not an alpha”

“What?”

“I’m not a beta either”

_ *Oh.* _

_ *OHHH* _

They looked at each other with the same look of astonishment and understanding.

“How the hell is anyone supposed to sleep in these fluffy pajamas?”

“Omegas. That’s the reason I chose it.”

“Did you have to drench it in your scent?”

“That I might have overdid”

“Yep”

“How did it feel to bare your neck to someone you thought to be an alpha?”

“Almost everything in me felt like ripping your throat out.”

“But you still let me-”

“I said almost” Mo looked away, feeling his cheeks flare up again.

“How about when I asked to court you?”

He was getting hot. “Stop asking questions!” the redhead shouted, throwing a pillow at the other’s face which he dodged too easily.

He tian laughed and dropped down next to him.

*-*-*-*-*-*

“I can’t believe we were both mistaken” the redhead started again after a brief moment of silence.

“I should have gotten a clue, your scent was the first that didn’t overwhelm me with its sweetness.”

“And yours was the first that didn’t feel like it wanted to claim power over me”

“That’s the usual scents around you?”

“Yeah, I even picked up the habit of hiding my nape when dealing with persistent Alphas..”

“Oh, I get it. Omega used to come at me the week before their heat to try and seduce me”

“Ouch”

They laughed and talked some more. They realised fast enough that they both were wildly mistaken as the other gender in their daily life, with the ups and downs it brought.

He tian propped himself on his elbow, looking down at Mo. “Do you still want to court? Even now that you know how useless of an omega I am?”

The redhead reached for He tian’s cheek “Do you still want to? Now knowing you can lift and throw your small alpha around.” he chuckled.

_ *My alpha?* _

He tian stared as a blush bloomed on Mo’s face. He could tell he realised the implication of what he just said.

“You know what? I’m not taking it back”

He tian smiled and lowered himself next to the other boy. He felt an arm sneak under his head and an other in his back, pulling him closer to Mo’s chest.

“Are we dating now?” he asked as he threw an arm over the smaller male’s middle.

“Shut up”

**Author's Note:**

> Reviews are always appreciated ˆwˆ


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